Razor



Oct. 7, 1952 v w, TULLY 2,612,685

RAZOR Fil ed. Dec. 28. 1948 INVENTOR WILLIAM B. TULLY AGENTS Patented Oct. 7, 1952 RAZOR :Wiiiiam Brighton Tully, East St.'Kilda,' f9 v Victoria, Australia In Australia; February 12, 1948 v Application December 28, 1948, Serial No. 67,601 V 5 Claims. (01. 30-60) This invention relates to safety razors of the type in which a flexible blade is clamped between a cap and a supporting plate having co-operating blade-shaping faces (hereinafter referred to as safety razors). When a known razor of this type is assembled, the handle is screwed on to a threaded centre pin which projects from the underside of the cap through an aperture in the supporting plate, and when the razor is to be dismantled after use the handle is unscrewed from the pin.

The main object of this invention is to provide means whereby a safety razor may be assembled and dismantled with greater facility than is possible with known razors of this type.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a safety razor in which the parts can be secured together by a simple pressure on the handle against the cap and in which the parts can be rapidly released by operation of pressure release means provided in the razor.

Aiurther object is to provide a safety razor comprising only three detachable pieces, including the blade. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the amount of edge clearance of the blade may be adjusted, thereby altering the depth of cut as desired and allowing accommodation for blades of different thickness.

I attain these objects by the razors illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a broken perspective view of a razor in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the razor shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a modifled form of razor in accordance with the invention, and

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the razor shown in Figure 3 but with the cap closed.

According to Figures 1 and 2, a safety razor comprises a transversely curved cap I having blade-positioning studs 2, 3 which are provided with rounded upper ends. The studs project from the inner face of the cap and are adapted to pass through apertures 4, 5 in the supporting plate 6. The blade (not shown) is transversely flexible, is sharpened on its parallel longitudinal edges and has perforations to receive the studs. The supporting plate 6 is substantially rectangular in plan and is provided at its ends with flanges I, 8 extending outwards beyond the longitudinal edges. The supporting plate 6 is also provided to the rod ends outside the flanges.

parallel to the sides of the plate 6, extend through apertures in the flanges I, 8 and. are retained in position by caps formed integrally with or secured The apertures are of sufficient diameter to allow the rods to rotate therein. The rods may however be welded or otherwise secured to the flanges. The

plate is flat on its blade-engaging surface and a handle '1 3 is secured to the centre of its other side We screw [4 which is sealed by a suitable sealing The flanges I9, 20 are provided with apertures through which the guard rods ll, 12 extend and thus form supports for the catch plates [5, it which may slide-thereon. Helicallywound compression springs 21', 22 disposed on the guard rods I I, I2 between the end flanges I9, 20 on the catch plates l5, [6 force the latteroutwardly away fromthe handle l3. The catch plates Hi, It are also provided with apertures 23, 24 disposed substantially centrally therein, through whichthe ends of the blade-positioning studs 2, '3 project when th razor is assembled. The catch plates l5, I6

are moved under pressure of the helical springs of the studs andthereby lock the studs against withdrawal through the apertures.

f A collar 32 threaded on the handle it extends downwardly through a central aperture in a pressure plate 21 having at it'sends two pairs of arms 28, 29 which project through recesses 3t, 3! in the v finger pieces I1, I8. The endsof the arms 28,

along its longitudinaledges, with guide flanges 9, 1 I

I0 which are curved at their base to provide variabl lines of contact between the plate 6 and the blade during alteration in the flexure of the latter, and which also strengthen the supportin plate structure.

Guard rods ll, 12 which are spaced from and 29 project through the recesses 353, 3! so as to overlie part of the movable plates l5, it. The

' pressure plate 21 is adapted to be moved towards and away from the supporting'platefi by movement of the collar 32, they pressure plate being located between a circular shoulder 33 and a washer 34 mounted on the collar. The assembly comprising the collar. pressure plate and washer is secured'togetherby turning the lower edge of the collar outwardly under the washer 34.

To assemble the razor, the collanwhich for convenience is provided with a left-handed thread, is turned so that it is situated at or-adjacent the end of its permitted movement on the handle nearer to the supporting plate-- The blade is then positioned on the cap and the supportthe invention one of the guard rods is extended beyond the outer flanges'l, 8 of the supporting inwardly towards the handle by the rounded ends of the studs, thereby compressing the,

helical springs. As soon as the notches in the studs are opposite the catch plates",- thelatter-are sprung outwardly by'the helical springs to'e'ngage the notches, thus securing..the cap.to the:

supporting plate and handle. Alternatively, after the blade has been positioned between the cap and the supporting plate, the finger pieces on the catch plates are pressed against the pressure of the. helical springs towards; the handle-to bring. the; apertures; in the; catch: platesv into alignment with the. apertures: in th upportin plate andwiththe studs onfihei can. A slight,

movementv of the handle then causes the; studs tozenter the. apertures in the sliding; plates which,

are released when-opposite the: notches. in he studs-.1 The; plat s then mov outwardly and.-

ene ee. he notchesv as thee-helical. springs ex! panrh; thussecuring the; cap to the supporting plate and. handle.

The ed e, clearance. or the: blade; is then adjusted by rotating; the; threaded, collar on the handle. When theicollar-ris, moved: away from h suppor in :plat t n r l r nfisure 1 .1 he

pressure; plate; is. moved in the same direction and 1 this causes ,atpivotal; movementofthe catch plates about the guide rods-which; pass throu h the; fiangesattheir outer K ends. The, inner ends of; the catch. plates are-thus movedaupwardly- (in Figure-l) andjheistudsare similarly displaced. Thisforces the cap to-move closer to the supporting plate andzth-us'increases; the blade fiexure and decreases theedge; clearance of the blade in relationto the helical-springs on the .guard rods. On the, reverse movement of the collar, theiblade flexure is, decreased andthe, edge clearanceincreased. An accurate adjustment. ofthe blade in the razor is. thus-readily obtainable and blades of differentthickness maybegefficiently used.

To dismantle the razor, the fingerpieces on the'catch plates are 'moved inwardstowards thehandle, thus moving; the, catch-plates out of engagement: with the notches ;in the studs and allowing-the supporting.- plate t -be separated; I

from the can;

The helical springs on; the guard rods provide an efficient type; of' guardmeans for the blade,

' as in passing over the skin, they rotateand thus the amount of friction between. the uard and the skin is small as compared with the normal type ofvfixedguard means.

As above described, the catch plates are adapted to be urged awayfrom; the handle under spring pressure to. engagenotchefi: or the like ontheinner sidesof the blade-positioning studs, A- razor inaccordancewith-the invention may -however, incorporate a reverse arrangement wherein the catch-plates are ur ed inwardly to engage notches; or. the. ;lil 1,e;on;theouter sides of the; blade-positioning studs. In; another form of the invention, slots,jrib,s or shoulders disposed laterally. on the-studs may be used inrplace of the notches-or; the like located atgthe inner, or outer sides of the'studsas described above.

In a modificationof the invention illustrated inFigures 3 and/l, the cap I.. ispivotally connected. to thesllpportingplateyfigso thatthe number of separable pieces: of: the razor, including the'blade, is reduced to two. Inthis form. of

plate; figand, the extended portions pass through slots 36, 31 in links 38, 39 connecting the cap I to the supporting plate 6. The extended portions of the guard rod are in the form of fiat sided extensions which are parallel at both ends of the rod and lit closely in the slots 36, 31. The

links- 38', 39 arepivotally connected to the cap I bypivot pins secured to lugs 35 formed integrally -withthecap. The lugs 35 together with matching integral lugs 40 project outwardly from the face of the cap to provide protection for the edges and corners of the blade and are also adapted to form additional locating means for the blade; StopsM providedon. the flanges: 'l,

8' are-positionedand; the. links 38, 39; are shaped sothat thelatterar'e prevented from moving past-a limiting open'position, and the shoulders 35A on the caplimit the. angle of movement. of the. cap by engaging the ends of. the links 38, 39 when the; capis approximately in the position shown inl ligure 3. The location of the stops and the shape ofxthelinks also ensure that thelatter mustunovein a. substantially straight linebefore they can commence to rotate. The remaining'parts ofJthe razor are as. described above with referenceto Figures 1v and 2.

The; operation, of; this modification is obvious from the drawingsjthe; linking means between the cap and. the supporting plate enabling the studs onv the cap to be withdrawn in asubstantially. straight line; from the apertures in the movableplates. supporting: plateand blade before the pivoting movement of the cap commences. In this way there; isno jamming of the parts, whichmight. otherwise occur and the edge of. the blade. is prevented from contacting the respective guard spring when the cap is. pivoted. Thenlugs on the cap: are-adapted to bear against the. flanges'l, 8 when theacaplistightened against the supporting plate, and thus prevent the blade edges from being forced inadvertently against the guard springs. When the pivoting movement of the cap commences, the guard rod is rotated, and the flat sided extensions, fitting closelywithinthe slots-and being parallel at-both ends of the rod; ensure that both ends of the cap are rotated in unison.

I claim:

1. In a safety'razor, the combination comprising'a supporting plate having apertures, therein, a handle secured to the supporting plate, extensions at theends of said supporting plate, guard rods extending between said extensions and spaced from and parallel to opposite edges of the supporting plate, a blade-clamping cap, studs on the saidoapadapted to project through the apertures inthe supporting plate, catch p ates mounted on the supporting plate, extensions at the outer end of each catch plate, the last said extensions beingslidably mounted on the guard rods, anchoring meansfor the inner ends of said catch plates, the said catch plates being adaptedto slidably ,engagesaid anchoring means, and helical compression springs mounted onsaid guard rods and adapted'to press the extensions. on said catch plates outwardly towards the extensions on said: supporting plate, said studs having notches adapted to, be engaged by said catch platesunder the pressure of said springs for holdingsaid parts in;assembledi position, the

' said springs constitutin the sole means. ferre- 2. In a safety razor, the combination comprising a supporting plate having apertures therein, a handle secured to the supporting plate, extensions at the ends of said supporting plate, guard rods extending between said extensions and spaced from and parallel to opposite edges of the supporting plate, a blade-clamping cap, studs on the said cap adapted to project through the apertures in the supporting plate, catch plates mounted on the supporting plate, extensions at the outer end of each catch plate, the last said extensions being slidably mounted on the guard rods, anchoring means for the inner ends of said catch plates, the said catch plates being adapted to slidably engage said anchoring means, finger grips on the inner ends of said catch plates, and helical compression springs mounted on said uard rods and adapted to press the extensions on said catch plates outwardly towards the extensions on said supporting plate, said studs having notches adapted to be engaged by said catch plates under the pressure of said springs for holding said parts in assembled position, the said springs constituting the sole-means for retaining the catch plates in engagement with said notches, the parts being so constructed and arranged that inwardly directed finger pressure on the outer sides of said finger'grips constitutes the sole .releasing motion required for disassembling the parts. v

3. In a safety razor, the combination comprising a supporting plate having apertures therein,

a handle secured to the supporting plate, extensions at the ends of said supporting plate, guard rods extending between said extensions and spaced from and parallel to opposite edges of the supporting plate, a blade-clamping cap, studs on the said cap adapted to project through the apertures in the supporting plate, catch plates mounted on the supporting plate, extensions at the outer end of each catch-plate, the last said extensions being slidably mounted on the guard f rods, anchoring means for the inner ends of said catch plates, the said catch plates being adapted to slidably engage said anchoring means, a collar threaded on said handle and rotatably connected to said anchoring means, the said anchoring means being adapted to move the inner ends of the catch plates away from or towards the supporting. plate on rotation of the said collar on said handle, and helical compression springs mounted on said guard rods and adapted to press the extensions on said catch plates out wardly towards the extensions on said supporting plate, said studs having notches adapted to be engaged by said catch plates under the pressure of said springs for holding said parts in assembled position, the said springs constituting the sole means for retaining the catch plates in engagement with said notches.

4. In a safety razor, the combination comprising a supporting plate having apertures therein, a handle secured to the supporting plate,

extensions at the ends of said supporting plate, guard rods extending between said extensions and spaced from and parallel to opposite edges of the supporting plate, a blade-clamping cap, studs on the said cap adapted to project through .the apertures in the supporting plate, catch plates mounted on the supporting plate, extensions at the outer end of each catch plate, the

supporting plate.

compression springs mounted on said guard rods and adapted to press the extensions on said catch plates outwardly towards the extensions on said. supporting plate, said studs having notches adapted to be engaged by said catch plates under the pressure of said springs for holding said parts in assembled position, the said springs constituting the sole means for retaining the catch plates in engagement with said notches, the parts being so constructed and arranged that inwardly directed finger pressure on the outer sides of said finger grips constitutes the sole releasing motion required for dis-. assembling the parts.

5. In a safety razor, the combination comprising a supporting plate having apertures therein,

a handle secured to the supporting plate, extensions at the ends of said supporting plate, guard rods extending between said extensions and spaced from and parallel to opposite edges of the supporting plate, a blade-clamping cap, studs on the said cap adapted to project through theapertures in the supporting plate, catch plates mounted on the supporting plate, extensions at the outer end of each catch plate, the last said extensions being slidably mounted on the guard rods, finger grips on the inner ends of said catch plates, a pressure plate having a central aperture through which the handle extends, arms on each end of the pressure plate parallel to the guard rods and extending through openings in the finger grips, a collar threaded on saidhandle and rotatably connected tosaid pressure plate, and helical compression springs mounted on said guard rods and adapted to press the extensions on said catch plates outwardly towards the extensions on said supporting plate, said studs having notches adapted to be engaged by said catch plates under the pressure of said springs for holding said parts in assembled position, the said springs constituting the sole means for retaining the catch plates in engagement with said notches, the axial position of said collar on said handle determining the clearance between the said cap and the said WILLIAM BRIGHTON TULLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hellmann Feb. 19, 1946 

